Paula Bennett’s “you’re under investigation” details out

Remember when press secretary Lucy Bennett took a bullet for releasing a story in an attempt to take the heat off her boss Paula? The details of the story came out earlier today.

A senior Auckland police officer who is under investigation was stood down after he tried to end an under-age love affair, according to reports.

Inspector Hurimoana Dennis, the chairman of Te Puea Marae in Mangere, was the subject of controversy last month after a ministerial leak revealed he was under investigation.

The marae rose to prominence when it threw open its doors to the homeless, which led to a visit from Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett.

One of Ms Bennett’s staff members told a reporter Mr Dennis had privately told the minister he was under investigation, but no details were revealed at the time.

Labour MP Phil Twyford accused Ms Bennett of deliberately leaking the information as a smear campaign against Mr Dennis, to try to “divert attention away from her own failed social housing policy”.

As much as it pains to agree with Twyword, he’s right on the money.

Police confirmed to NZ Newswire Mr Dennis was stood down from his duties as police iwi liaison officer in September last year pending an inquiry … the inquiry stemmed from Mr Dennis’ attempt to stop a 17-year-old boy having a relationship with a 15-year-old girl.

The boy’s family came to Mr Dennis for help, and he put the teen under ‘mock arrest’ and locked him in a police station cell to show him the potential consequences of his actions.

The boy agreed to move to Australia, but returned without his family’s knowledge and Mr Dennis alerted police officers at Auckland Airport, who escorted him off the plane, the Herald reported.

The boy has since laid a complaint with police, who refused to answer questions as the investigation is ongoing.

Heart in the right place, but a monumental brain fart by using public resources so creatively. That’s Mr Dennis, not Paula Bennett.

– NZN via Yahoo! News

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